HOW NOT TO HIRE YOUR MOVER

A move can be smooth, uneventful, and pleasant and stress free if you use the right mover. Most people recommend a mover to a friend or relative because they found the process to be seamless and worry free.

There is no reason in the world not to use a recommended, high rated mover to handle your possessions. To try to save a few dollars can only spell grief in the end.

Members of the Massachusetts Movers Association adhere to a code of ethics that assure honesty and integrity. Rogue movers are not looking for your trust or repeat business. They are looking for a quick financial hit or worse.

These are some of the possible results of hiring a rogue mover:

You get a lowball estimate from a moving company, but once they’ve loaded your furniture on their truck they change the charges, sometimes doubling or tripling their original quote. If you complain about the number, they simply refuse to give you your belongings until you agree to the inflated price.

The original estimate is based on the weight of your goods, but when the bill arrives you’re told that thenow referred to cubic feet of your goods exceeded the estimate. Again, the movers hold your belongings until you agree to pay the inflated price.

New clauses are added to your original contract because, “The estimate was just for moving, not for packing.”

Your possessions arrives weeks late for a long distance move. If the mover has a licensing violation, their truck can be impounded on the road by the Department of Transportation with all your belongings on board!

Don’t agree to a large deposit. Reputable moving companies don’t ask you to pay large sums up front.

Never sign a blank or incomplete contract. Guess who will fill in the blanks? Always ask for a signed copy that you have closely scrutinized.

Always deal directly with the moving company. It’s easy to look like a moving company online. Anybody with a few dollars and a little computer knowledge can set up a convincing looking web site. Many of these companies are really brokers just sending your job to someone else. That is why it is simple and easy to avoid this by selecting Massachusetts Movers Association members.

Your moving contract should spell out all the details of the transaction, including price, delivery date, needed supplies and a complete list of your possessions. It should clearly specify there are no additional costs, like a driver’s fee or mandatory tips.

Never pay cash. If a company offers a huge discount for cash, beware! If you do, you’ll have no record of the paid transaction — and the company can disappear with your belongings, pretending that no transaction ever happened.

Do your research, select only vetted and highly rated movers, rely on the members of the Massachusetts Movers Association to handle your next move.